Expression And Significance Of Metalloproteinase-7 And Its Tissue Inhibitor Of Metalloproteinase-1 In Lumbar Intervertebral Disc

ObjectiveTo detect the expression of the matrix metalloproteinase - 7 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase -1 protein in lumbar intervertebral disc . To discuss the role of the matrix metalloproteinase - 7 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase - 1 protein in the course of the intervertebral disc degeneration and clarified the mechanism of the lumber intervertebral disc degeneration and prolapse .MethodsForty three lumbar IVD paraffin specimens were coDected from Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jin Zhou Medical College and Jin Zhou Central Hospital during period from January 1999 to May 2003 . Experiment group contains thirty two prolapse intervertebral discs and control groups contains eleven discs which collected from lumber spine fracture and scoliosis. Experiment group was divided into protrusion type , extrusion type and sequestration type. Specimens were fixed in 10% formalin and were embedded in paraffin. 5 m serial sections were cut and S - P method was used. MMP - 7and TIMP - 1 monoclonal antibodies stain the section and Gray Scale Value were collected by using microimage analysis system . Using software spss10. 5 for statistical analysis. Means SD for results of analysis of specimens were calculated and compare using Student t test.ResultsMMP - 7 and TIMP -1 protein is expressed mostly in cytoplasma or membrane . The expression of metalloproteinase - 7 in the experiment group is obviously higher than in the control group . The average gray value of microimage a-nalysis system and immunohistochemistry between them had statistical significance ( p < 0.01) . There are statistical significance between extrusion or sequestration type and protrusion type ( P < 0. 05 ) , but no statistical significance between extrusion and sequestration type in experiment group ( P > 0. 05 ) . The expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases - 1 in the control group was significantly higher than the experiment group. The average gray value of microimage analysis system and immunohistochemistry between them had statisticalosignificance(p < 0. 05 ).ConclusionsThere are obvious correlation between the expression of MMP - 7 and TIMP - 1 protein in lumber intervertebral disc and disc degeneration and prolapse. The increase of the expression of MMP - 7 protein and the decrease of the expression of TIMP -1 protein may be the cause of the lumber intervertebral disc degeneration and prolapse .